Phillips, Spallas & Angstadt LLP is an AV rated, civil litigation firm with an unparalleled record of successful results for our clients, emphasizing prompt, economic resolution. We possess the knowledge to navigate all state and federal venues in California and Nevada for our clients, who include numerous Fortune 500 companies. We obtain the best possible solutions for our clients, efficiently and effectively meeting our clients’ objectives. Our 95% success rate in trial speaks for itself.

Phillips, Spallas & Angstadt LLP is an AV rated, civil litigation firm with an unparalleled record of successful results for our clients, emphasizing prompt, economic resolution. We possess the knowledge to navigate all state and federal venues in California and Nevada for our clients, who include numerous Fortune 500 companies. We obtain the best possible solutions for our clients, efficiently and effectively meeting our clients' objectives. Our 95% success rate in trial speaks for itself.

Although highly successful at trial, we recognize that early resolution often meets our clients' objectives, and we pride ourselves on our early and accurate evaluation of all matters.

Featured Attorneys

Michael R. Halvorsen

Partner

Michael R. Halvorsen is the managing partner of the Los Angeles office. He consistently obtains excellent results for clients across a variety of practice areas, including commercial litigation and landlord-tenant law. Mr. Halvorsen was a founding member of the firm's Los Angeles office in 2007 after working in our San Francisco office. He graduated with a degree in English from the University of California in Santa Barbara followed by the University of San Francisco School of Law. Apart from being an attorney, he greatly enjoys spending time with his wife and three young children.extra space extra spaceextra space

Priya Navaratnasingham

Associate

Priya Navaratnasingham specializes in civil litigation defense, with a focus on high exposure personal injury and wrongful death cases. She consistently obtains favorable results on behalf of her Fortune 500 clients. Priya graduated magna cum laude from Northern Arizona University and earned her J.D. degree from Whittier Law School in 2007. Prior to joining the firm, Priya defended clients in disputes arising out breach of partnership agreements, commercial leases, and misappropriation of trade secrets in Newport Beach.

Timothy D. Kuhls

Associate

Timothy D. Kuhls manages our Las Vegas office. His civil litigation practice focuses primarily on the defense of products liability, premises liability, and related claims. He received both his J.D. and LL.M. degrees from the University of New Hampshire School of Law and his B.A. from Cornell University. Mr. Kuhls is an active supporter of Las Vegas’ pro bono initiative as a Child Advocacy Project volunteer. He is admitted to practice in Nevada, New York, and New Jersey.

Recent Results/News

Phillips, Spallas & Angstadt LLP is the proud recipient of the Diversity Gold Seal from Vault and the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA TM) for its efforts to foster and enhance diversity in the legal...

Congratulations to Las Vegas associate Pooja Kumar, who recently received the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys’ 10 Best Attorney Award for Client Satisfaction in Nevada. The criteria considered included the attainment of the highest...

Brian Momsen,Esq., President of the Mendocino County Bar Association, has commended Senior Counsel James Ghidella on behalf of the Association for his many years of service as pro tem Settlement Officer of the Court and...

San Francisco attorneys Greg Spallas and Anna Gehriger prevailed on behalf of a large employer client on a special motion to strike (pursuant to the Anti-SLAPP statute, California Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16) resulting...

San Francisco attorneys Robert K. Phillips and Priya Navaratnasingham successfully obtained a dismissal with prejudice of plaintiff’s entire action before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. Plaintiff alleged breach of...

Robert K. Phillips recovered a large six-figure sum for Gap, Inc. from a vendor after successfully litigating the contractual indemnity provisions and prosecuting a jury trial to determine fault for the underlying accident. Mr. Phillips...

Las Vegas associate Ryan Kerbow obtained summary judgment in favor of retailer Sam’s Club in a premises liability case. Plaintiff claimed special damages in excess of $1.4 million as a result of a slip and...

Partner Elisa R. Marcaletti successfully moved to compel arbitration in a nationally-recognized case on behalf of the firm’s client, a wedding photography/videography company based in Chicago, Illinois, that does business in over twenty states. Plaintiff,...

San Francisco paralegal Albert Chen is elected to the San Francisco Paralegal Association’s 2017 Board of Directors. The association is a nonprofit organization created to represent the paralegal profession.

Brenda Entzminger and Betsy Jefferis obtained a dismissal with prejudice in a personal injury case against the retailer, Wal-Mart. Plaintiff sought general and special damages in the seven-figure range for a slip and fall matter. The...

Robert Phillips and Brenda Entzminger obtained a defense judgment in favor of Wal-Mart, following a jury trial in September 2015. Although the jury had originally awarded over $718,000 in favor of the plaintiff, the United States...

Congratulations to Candice Mullings Williams, who has been promoted to Partner at the firm. Ms. Williams joined the firm in 2007. She specializes in civil litigation defense, with a focus on high exposure personal injury...

Congratulations to Anna C. Gehriger who has been selected as an “Outstanding Volunteer” for 2015 by the San Francisco Bar Association’s Justice and Diversity Center, and will be honored at a Volunteer Appreciation Celebration on March...

In October 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court denied plaintiff’s Petition for a Writ of Certiorari of a successful motion for summary judgment which San Francisco partner Gregory Spallas and associate Anna Gehriger had won in...

Las Vegas partner Brenda Entzminger obtained an order from the United States District Court, District of Nevada, excluding future damages claim and excluding over $100,000 in past medical expenses in premises liability action. Montilla v....

Las Vegas attorney Ryan Kerbow obtained an order from the United States District Court, District of Nevada, excluding $263,793 in past medical expenses and $472,538.00 in future damages in a premises liability action. The exclusion...

Robert K. Phillips and Ryan Gille successfully obtained a dismissal of a personal injury/construction accident case against PSA’s clients. The plaintiff sought general and special damages in the seven figure range for work-related injuries received...

Congratulations to staffer Simon Ho, who testifies at State Capitol before the California Senate’s Informational Hearing by the Select Committee on Autism and Related Disorders, chaired by Senator Darrell Steinberg, on August 5, 2014 about...

We are proud to sponsor – for the third consecutive year – the Bar Association of San Francisco Barristers Club’s 6th annual Diversity Awards Reception. This event is free of charge and honors two legal community...

San Francisco associate Anna Gehriger facilitated working group sessions of practical scenarios faced by young female attorneys as part of the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession’s ‘True Grit Project’ and BASF’s ‘No Glass Ceiling...

Jessica Stuart Pliner along with national counsel for a home appliance manufacturer obtained a defense verdict in a products liability case in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The jury...

Brenda H. Entzminger and Marjan Hajimirzaee successfully defended a large retail store in a civil jury trial in Las Vegas, Nevada. Plaintiff claimed he was injured when he slipped and fell while the retailer was...

Attorneys Robert Phillips and Sara Khan successfully defended a six week premises liability jury trial in the Fresno County Superior Court. Plaintiff sustained injuries to her back when she was struck by merchandise being hauled...

Attorneys Robert K. Phillips and Jessica Stuart Pliner successfully obtained a dismissal of a negligent security case against their clients. The plaintiff sought general and special damages in the seven figure range for his injuries...

Siria L. Gutiérrez served on the Las Vegas Latino Bar Association committee which spearheaded the September 2013 Special Edition of the Nevada Lawyer in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. She helped co-author the main feature...

Attorneys Robert K. Phillips, Jessica Stuart Pliner and Jacqueline K. Oh represented a landowner of an apartment complex in a wrongful death and survival action in Fresno County Superior Court. The firm filed a motion...

The firm won a Motion for Exclusion Sanctions on behalf of its client, a major retailer. As a result, the Court issued an Order excluding plaintiff’s future medical expenses in excess of $200,000, excluding evidence...

Associate Anna Gehriger chairs the Barristers’ Diversity Committee, which organized a diverse panel of law school administrators to educate attendees about career opportunities at law schools: http://www.law.ucdavis.edu/blogs/Deans/posts/basf-presents-exploring-careers-in-law-school-administration.html.

In December 2012, the San Francisco office prevailed on a Motion for Summary Judgment in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District against Plaintiff’s claims of age and disability based discrimination, harassment, retaliation and...

The Barristers Club, BASF’s new attorney division, announced the officers for the 2013 Board of Directors. Read more at: http://www.sfbar.org/newsroom/2012/20121025.aspx and http://www.sfbar.org/barristers/board.aspx.

Attorneys Ashley Standfield, Kendra McGee, and Holly Brauchli joined assistants Theresa Mongelluzzo and Nicholas Garcia at the Bar Association of San Francisco’s School to College Day on October 16, 2012. At this service event, the...

Attorney A. J. Sharp successfully brought a motion to exclude Plaintiff’s claims for future medical expenses and wage loss totaling more than $1.2 million in a personal injury matter venued in the United States District...

Associates Ashley Standfield, Holly Brauchli and Anna Gehriger attended this year’s Judges Reception. Each year, the Barristers Club invites judges of San Francisco Superior Court, as well as federal judges and magistrates to the Judges...

Anna C. Gehriger was appointed Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee of the Bar Association of San Francisco’s Barristers Club. For more information, please visit http://www.sfbar.org/barristers/committees_diversity.aspx.

Attorneys Robert K. Phillips and Jessica Stuart Pliner represented a local small business in a multi-million dollar wrongful death and survival action in Santa Clara Superior Court. Other Defendants in the case paid substantial sums...

Partner Brenda H. Entzminger successfully brought a motion for summary judgment before the United States District Court. Attorney Ms. Entzminger put forth affirmative evidence that the retail client maintained its premises in a reasonably safe condition...

In August 2011, Anna C. Gehriger became a member of the Diversity Committee of the Bar Association of San Francisco’s Barristers Club. For more information, please visit http://www.sfbar.org/barristers/committees_diversity.aspx.

On July 5, 2011, Gregory L. Spallas and Shivani Sutaria prevailed on a motion for summary judgment and obtained dismissal of a lawsuit against a large retail client in which Plaintiff alleged breach of implied-in-fact...

Attorneys Todd Angstadt and Elisa Marcaletti successfully obtained a dismissal of a wrongful death case against all three of their clients. The plaintiffs sought general, special and punitive damages in the seven figure range for...

Candice Williams Mullings, Community Service Co-Chair of the National Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division, facilitated a youth symposium for 150 high school aged children on April 9, 2011. The topics of discussion included civic responsibility...